Winters Grip
by apdarkness905
Summary: Liliana is a member of a vegetarian coven of vampires like the Cullens although the they have yet to meet, they are about to leave the New England town of Willow Grange where they have lived for the last ten years. This puts Lili in an nostalgic mood and she remebers her last day of life as a human, her transformation into a vampire and more.
1. Preface

**This story takes place in the Twilight universe created by the extremely talented Hollowgo that he created for his fanfic Blood Solstice, the story focuses on a coven of vampires who shear the Cullens philosophy of vegetarianism but the two covens have yet to encounter each other. I do not own anything except OC's I created for this story. This story is dedicated to Hollowgo, never stop writing my friend. **

**Preface**

**Willow Grange New England present day**

_I'm going to miss this place_ I thought as I looked nostalgically around the foyer of Stanly Hall. All the paintings and curtains where gone, all our personal possessions had been removed and packed away for safe transport, everything that indicated that this old mansion had been our home for just over a decade were gone and soon we too would be following.

I walked to the window and gazed forlornly out at the small town of Willow Grange, I didn't want to leave. This had been a good home to me and my family. The locals though suspicious at first had come to not only accept our presence but welcome it. I had made good friends in this town, valued friends I would miss horribly after we left and I knew that I was not alone in this reluctance to see the back of the life we'd made for ourselves in this little corner of the world. None of my family was looking forward to leaving this town, all of us wished we could stay for another ten years or forever even but that was out of the question. When you lived in a family of immortals sooner or later people began to notice that you're ageing was miraculously stagnant, we had our anonymity to protect. If people discovered or even suspected who and what we really were it would put both us and them in deadly danger and so we had to leave Willow Grange behind.

I looked down at the snow covered town and this only exacerbated my dark mood, why did we have to leave this latest home in the middle of winter? I hated winter, I absolutely loathed it. It wasn't the cold that bothered me, no temperature differential really bothered me whether it was cold or hot, it was the snow that I couldn't stand, which was ironic considering what I was capable of with my rather special talent. Why did this image of my beloved home have to be my last memory of the town? Covered in this horrendous frozen precipitation, I mean I understood the appeal and fun that could be had in snow. It was simply the fact that whenever I saw the stuff it always took me to a place I did not want to go, to memories I wished I could purge from my mind for ever, to my last day on this earth as a human, to the day I lost everything, the day my old life as Liliana Fabian ended and my new life as a vampire began.

**Okay there you have it, I update soon and I hope you enjoyed it please feel free to review and I see you next time. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**

**Okay so here it is the first chapter of the fanfic, I think I should get some small apologies out of the way. Frist I'm sorry I took so long in updating I'll try and be quicker with the next chapter. The second is that this story is set during the Holocaust and deals with some of the themes of that terrible era for those of you out there who are offended by this I apologues in advance it was not my intention to upset anyone. Anyways this is a Twilight fanfic set in Hollowgo's version of the mythology he created for his story 'Blood Solstice' in which this story takes place, which is similar but slightly different to the canon series law check out his stories there awesome. Hope you enjoy. **

**P.S. I've made some improvements to the chapter for those of you who read the old version I agree with me that the cahnges I've made are good ones.**

**My Sisters Last Birthday**

**Warsaw Poland January 12 1941**

I remember opening my eyes that morning to the depressingly familiar sight of my dank, moldy room in our Ghetto apartment illuminated by the cold light of a winter's morning. Well it wasn't really my room as I was forced to share it with Papa and my little sister Rachel. Even the apartment couldn't really be called ours because we lived in it with four other families, making a total of eighteen of us crammed into a space that had been designed for no more than six.

We'd all lived here after being imprisoned in this walled off section of Warsaw that held a few 100,000 Jews in a mere several city blocks for the past four months and the whole time we'd been living in fear of our lives. It was so easy to die in the Ghetto if not from our Gestapo oppressor's then from starvation or disease. People where living in basements, attics and the streets. We were lucky, at least we had a roof over our heads even of it was like living in a sardine tin.

I sighed joylessly and rolled over to discover that I wasn't alone. Rachel was curled up next to me in bed, if you could call a mattress we'd salvaged form a junk pile in the street a bed, her face obscured by a veil of her long dark chestnut hair that was the exact same shade as mine which we had inherited from our mother.

The fact that she was here meant she must have had nightmares. She always crawled into sleep with me when she had nightmares it was getting to the point where it happened every other night. Not that I could blame her, in the last five months since the Germans had invaded we'd all seen and experienced enough to give us bad dreams for the rest of our lives, however long that might be.

Carefully so as not to wake Rachel I pulled the covers off me and pushed myself up from the mattress and got to my feet and the second my bear soles touched the wooden floor an icy chill shot through me from my legs up causing me to shiver. I quickly went to the suit case at the foot of the mattress that contained the few clothes and belongings we'd managed to save since our house had been leveled by bombs when the Germans attacked Warsaw.

I opened the case and tried to find something to put on. _If only I some had nicer clothes_ I thought as I looked through the limited selection. I'd never been highly fashion conscious but it was Rachel's thirteenth birthday and it would have been nice to dress for the occasion. I had to settle for a drab looking woolen skirt and socks, a white blouse, a scarf and my large over coat that was hanging on the door hook.

I reached into the left pocket and found the cloth parcel that held the gift I was going to give her. I didn't know what Papa had in store but he said he'd gotten together something special. I slipped my shoes on and opened the doors to the hallway, the age rusted hinges creaking in protest.

The rest of the apartment, actually the rest of the building, was in much the same state as our room with crumbling plaster, rotten floorboards, damp soaked walls and the all-pervading sent of mildew in the air. After going to the cupboard like toilet and combing my hair I made my way into the tiny kitchen and saw that for once it wasn't crowded, only Papa, Alfred and Luiza Jaskolaki and their son Gabriel who was my best friend and at eighteen was one year older than me and Adriana Miazga and her six year old son Emil where there.

Papa and the Jaskolakis where all working around the dinner table and when I saw what they fusing over my mouth fell open, it was the closest thing I'd see to a meal since we'd been relocated to the Ghetto. There was a bar of butter, _actually butter_ I thought, my mouth watering, a loaf of fresh bread, three bottles of milk and even a small jar of strawberry jam. My eyes had gotten progressively wider as I took in the banquet before me to the point they must have been the size of the search lights surrounding the Ghetto as I stared dumbly at the table.

"Ah Lili you're up. Could you wake your sister please? It's almost ready." Papa voice failed to break me out of my hunger induced trance. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Liliana!" he said a little forcibly now. I blinked and looked at him.

"Y-yes Papa?" I stammered.

"Are you going to gawk at the table or are you going to get Rachel up?" he asked in mock sternness doing what he could do suppress a laugh as where all the Jaskolakis and Emil was giggling in the corner, even Adriana gave a small smile. Something she hardly ever did since a group of SS Einsatzgruppen had killed her husband Bruno nearly a month ago now she hadn't told Emil yet of course. Normally I would be cringing with embarrassment at this communal mockery but I was still in a state of shock at this unexpected meal.

"Wh-where did all this come from?" I asked in disbelief.

"Your father, Luiza and I have some connections in the black market and we called in a couple of favours." Alfred answered almost proudly.

"You have favours in the black market Papa?" surprise and wariness were heavy in my tone.

"Considering what we've been doing for the last few weeks does it really surprise you?!" Papa replied as if the answer was obvious which it was. My father together with the Jaskolakis had been school teachers before the war and after the Germans had taken Warsaw and we'd been locked in the Ghetto any and all Jewish children had been forbidden to go to school. Something Papa, Alfred and Luiza considered a great injustice.

To counter this they had set up an underground school in the Ghetto house to teach the children. This was illegal as far as the SS and Gestapo were concerned and potentially dangerous if word got back to the Germans, but Papa and his friends where of the belief that all children were entitled to an education whatever the invaders said and it gave them something else to focus on apart from the misery and sheer terror that had come to dominate our lives.

I looked around the room "Where's everyone else?" and my father's face twisted in disgust.

"They've decided to boycott the party." He said his voice laced with contempt and my face was mirroring his. The other families that lived in the Ghetto house had expressed the condemnation at our plan to hold a surprise birthday party for my sister when they'd heard of it last week. The Malys and their four children and the Nienczgks and their two children where unsurprisingly absent.

Bianka and Eligiusz Maly together with Estera and Ferdyrand Niemczgk had all at one point or another pointed out that in the face of everything that was happening in the world to hold something they regarded so trivial was ludicrous. Papa had tried to convince them that it was all the more reason to have the party. That with all that had been taken for us we had to hold onto what little we had and one of those things was celebrating the birth of our children and siblings.

They clearly had not been convinced, Alfred and Luiza and Gabe had come because they were old friends of the family and Adriana was there because Emil wanted to see the party. I thought it was rather petty of the Malys and Nienczgks to force their children to miss the event with them and considered doing something about it.

"Shall I go out to try and find them?" I asked.

"No!" Papa said flatly.

"But Papa all this food…" I was quickly cut off.

"They had their chance if they don't think my little girl's birthday is worth celebrating, it's their loss." He snapped. I flinched at the harshness of his tone and his face immediately softened and he smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry Lili. I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's just they make me ferocious if we all believed as they did we might as well just lie down in the street and ask the Germans to kill us."

"It's okay Papa," I said returning his smile "I know what you mean." I glanced back at the door to our room. "You want me to wake Rachel up?"

"I already asked you to do that didn't I? Oh but don't tell her…" now it was my turn to cut him off.

"Yes, yes I know it's supposed to be a surprise." I said walking back to the room.

"Lili!" I looked back at Gabe "I have this for Rachel." He had a bar of chocolate in his right hand, another thing I hadn't seen in what seemed forever.

"Gabe you didn't need to do that." I said trying to keep my eyes on his face and keep the drool from forming in my mouth. I was starting to get a little jealous of all the attention Rachel was receiving now.

He smiled "Yes I did." His voice was a matter of fact. "It's your sister's birthday and I'm not going to let you down."

I tried to suppress a grimace I hadn't failed to notice he'd only mentioned how this day related to me and on top of that he was presenting me with the chocolate not my sister. I didn't like where this was heading.

"Um that's very nice Gabe, really, but why are you giving it to me?" I had a bad feeling I knew the answer.

"So you'll have something to give her." He replied, okay it wasn't quite as bad… wait what?! What was he implying?

"That's very kind of you Gabe," I was doing my best not to sound too offended by his assumption. "but I've already got something to give her."

Gabriel looked surprised then disappointed "Oh I see." he said dejectedly. Oh wonderful, now I felt bad.

"But I'm sure she'll love it," I quickly amended. "I'm very grateful you went to the trouble of getting my sister a present."

His face lit up "You're welcome Lili." He looked at me fondly it was an effort not to look uncomfortable.

"Gabriel will you help us with the table," my father interjected. "There's still more to do."

"Uh um…Yes. Coming Mr Fabian." And Gabe returned to the table. Papa gave me an understanding look and smiled to which I smiled back thankfully before going to the bed room.

Gabriel and I had been friends since we were children. In fact he was one of the few friends I had and certainly the only friend I had in the Ghetto. I'd always been something of a loner and had never really been comfortable around people outside my family, Gabe was one of the rare exceptions. Because our parents worked in the same school and were good friends he and I had been introduced at a young age and had practically grown up together. As we'd gotten older however things started to get awkward. He had begun to see me as something more than just a friend. The only problem was I didn't feel the same way. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with him. He was nice, friendly and good looking I suppose. I just didn't see Gabe that way. He was more an adopted brother to me and I couldn't imagine our relationship becoming anything more than that.

I was hoping that I could subtly give him the message that I wasn't interested but he didn't seem to be getting it. Eventually I'd have to tell him directly, something I was dreading. I hated offending people or letting them down and I knew Gabe well enough to know he would be hurt by my rejection and as annoying and uncomfortable as his interest was becoming he was still my friend. I didn't want to him unhappy, I didn't want to ruin what friendship we had and I could see no way of not doing that.

I sighed and shook my head. This was hardly the time to be concerned about this. Today was Rachel's day and that is what I would focus on for now. I entered the room to see my sister was still curled up peacefully on the mattress. I dropped to one knee next to the makeshift bed said "Rachel, Rachel time to get up."

She didn't move. "Rachel!" I raised my voice slightly. She mumbled incoherently in her sleep, rolled over onto her stomach and settled again.

Okay it was time to take a more direct course of action. I reached and shook her left shoulder "Rachel. Wake up!"

"What is it? Leave me alone." She grumbled into the pillow.

"Get up its morning." I said.

"It's also my birthday." She protested still not looking up "So I get to sleep in."

"No you don't come on up!" I barked and shook her more boisterously.

Rachel grabbed the sides of her pillow and using her arms raped it around her head "**_Go away and let me sleep_**!" her muffled voice yelled from beneath the pillow.

"No Papa said to get you up."

She was silent for a while then said "Papa want's me up?"

"Yes he does," my voice was smug. "Now are you going to get up or shall I go get him?"

Borys Fabian was a loving and kind father but he was also very strict and when he gave an instruction, none compliance was an unwise course of action.

Rachel snarled irritably and rolled over throwing the covers off her. "Fine I'll get up just get out let me get changed."

I smiled and exited the room and left my sister to fume and get dressed.

"Is she getting up?" Papa asked as I walked up to the kitchen table.

"Yes she's just getting dressed." I replied.

"Was she grumpy?" his voice curious. "She got up twice last night."

My face fell "She had nightmares I think."

"She was in your bed again." He asked his face grave I nodded.

"Poor dear." Luiza said her voice sympathetic.

"This isn't the time to talk about that," Alfred said. "Come on let's get ready."

"I can't wait to see the look on her face when she gets an eye full of the table." Gabriel sniggered and I couldn't hold buck a chuckle of my own as we left kitchen and hid in the small living room. We waited there for a minute or so before the faint sound of the bed room door creaking open reached our ears.

"What the…" Rachel's bewildered voice came for the kitchen and I clamped my palm over my mouth stifling the laugh that threatened to burst forth. "Papa…L-Lili? Where are you? Where did all this food come from?"

"Shall we go now?" Gabe whispered.

"Not yet," Papa replied. "Let her find us."

"Hello, where is everyone." Her footsteps approached the living room, I tensed for the moment and then the door opened we all chorused.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Rachel was so surprised she fell backwards and tripped when her heal snagged the door frame landing on her backside.

"Oh no Rachel," Papa cooed and hurried to her side to help her up.

"Ow that hurt!" she whined rubbing her rear.

"Sorry about that Rachel." I said coming to stand them. "We wanted to surprise you."

"Well, congratulations you succeeded." She glowered at me and looked back at the table. "Where did get all that?"

"Alfred and Luiza and I got it together to celebrate your birthday." Papa answered her. "It's kind of a present form the three of us."

"You…you did all this for me?" Rachel asked he voice and face was astonished and Papa nodded. "I…I…I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything Ellie." Papa said using his pet name for her.

Rachel stood there stunned for a moment longer and then ran into her father's arms.

"Thank you Papa," she said her voice holding barely restrained emotion. "Thank you all. Thank, thank you, thank you."

"There's no need to thank us," Papa said gently. "You deserve it."

Rachel pulled back from the hug and Luiza said "Who wants to go first." looking at me and her son.

"You can go Gabe." I urged him at which he smiled and fished the chocolate out of his pocket. Rachel's eyes widened at the sight of his gift.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked amazed.

"Yes it is here you go." He said presenting her with the bar.

"Where did you get chocolate from?"

Gabe tapped the side of his nose and said conspiratorially "I have my ways young Rachel."

"By ways I assume you mean asking me to get some chocolate from our friends on the black market." His father said in a deadpan voice.

"Dad!" Gabe snapped "Do you have to ruin my moment of glory?"

"Well thank you Gabe no matter how you got it." Rachel said looking at the chocolate. "Can I eat it now?" she looked to Papa for approval.

"I think you should wait until after we've eaten dear." Luiza said but Papa countered.

"Of course you can nothing too good for my little girl on her birthday." He said and Rachel gave a quiet cheer and began opening and then looked at me, Gabe and little Emil.

She hesitated for a moment and then broke the bar into four pieces and said "Here Lili. This is for you and Emil and Gabe." She offered us the chocolate.

"Oh no dear we can't." Adriana said.

"It's yours Rachel." I said in spite of how much I'd love to taste chocolate again.

"Well if it's mine I can do what I want with it and I want to shear it with you." Her voice was a factual.

"Oh please Mommy," Emil begged. "It's been forever since I've had chocolate."

Adriana gave her son a disapproving look but then smiled and nodded "That's very kind of you Rachel thank you." She said as my sister handed Gabriel, Emil and me our share of the treat.

"Thank you Rachel." Emil chirped with elation as he took the chocolate and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Thanks." I said and took my peace and Rachel and I placed our chocolate in our mouths at the same time giggling at each other as the sweet flavour flowed over our tongues. I then pulled the cloth parcel from my coat pocket and handed it to Rachel.

"Here this is for you." She took the small bundle and looked at it curiously.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Open it and find out." I replied.

She pulled open the cloth and inside was a small silver broach in the shape dove inlaid with six tiny sapphires, three set into each wing.

"Lili," she said her voice shocked. "T-this…this is…I…I can't take this…th-this is yours."

"Well if it's mine then I can do what I want with it," I said repeating her words. "And I'm giving it to you."

The Broach was something of a family air loom, it had been bought by my great grandfather as a gift to his wife on their first anniversary who had latter given it to her daughter on her eighteenth birthday who in turn had given it to my mother and of course she had given it to me on my birthday. It had been the last thing she had ever given before her death. Rachel knew how fond of it I was but with the world as crazy as it was...well lets face it, the chances that I might live long enough to hand it down to any future daughter was fairly slim and since I had gone to all the trouble of concealing it from the Germans for fear it would be confiscated, I might as well give it on to someone.

Rachel lifted the broach from the cloth tentatively as if fearing it might bite her hand off the second she touched the dove and held it in her palm.

"Thank you Lili," She choked out. "I...this is just…" Her voice broke with a sob and she wrapped her arms around my waist crying into my chest as I returned the hug and lightly kissed her hair. I looked up to see Papa was beaming at me his eyes smouldering with pride, I smiled sheepishly at him.

"Well are we going to hang around here all day or are we going to eat?" Alfred elated and Rachel released her grip wiping her large nut brown eyes, something else we'd both inherited from our mother, and we made our way into the kitchen and the meal that awaited us.

Rachel, Emil and I where about take our seats when Papa interjected.

"Hold on," he said. "If we're doing we're going to do it right."

We all knew what he meant we stood and recited the words of the blessing "Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam shehakol niyah bidvaro."

That little formality out of the way we could finally enjoy the food. It was wonderful I never thought I would ever taste fresh bread butter and milk again and as far as the jam was concerned, if it wasn't for the chocolate it would have been the most delicious thing I'd eaten in months. I did what I could not to gobble my food but I was failing rather miserably at that, all of us where. I was on my third slice of bread already.

"Do you know, I had a pleasant dream last night," Alfred said "Do any of you remember Bogomil Jeska?"

Papa and Luiza made no attempt to hide their dislike for the person in question and Rachel groaned at the mention of the name. Bogomil had been a student in Rachel's school where Papa and the others worked and he had a reputation for being a delinquent and held the record for getting in trouble more than any other student. And if a quarter of the things I'd heard about him where true he was rapidly heading toward an expulsion.

"How could anyone forget Bogomil?" Papa asked and then mused. "I wonder what happened to him."

"Maybe some German soldiers turned their dogs on him and they ate his face off." Rachel giggled.

"Rachel!" Luiza exclaimed aghast.

"Oh come on you've all thought it." she snorted.

"Well that's as maybe," Luiza said "But that doesn't mean you should be thinking such things."

My sister shrugged "What can I say, he was a rotter."

"I think we should hear the rest of Alfred's story don't you?" Papa asked.

"Of course," Luiza agreed. "Go on dear."

"Well I dreamt I was in the class room teaching my usually students writing on the board and I heard Bogomil behind me making a ruckus as usual and so naturally I told him to keep it quiet. And he did for a while and he started up again only this time from another part of the room and I thought Mr. Jeska was out of his seat so I yelled at him to get back to his place not taking my eyes off the broad. And this continued for some time and after a short while he would start up again and again and every time from a different part of the room."

"Is there a point to this dad?" Gabe asked.

"I'm getting to it." His father chided. "Anyway eventually I'd had enough and turned away from the black board and all I saw behind me was Bogomil. The entire class was made up of him everywhere I looked there was Bogomils, Bogomils multiple Bogomils in every seat in the class. And it was at that moment I woke up in a cold sweat almost screaming. And that was my dream."

We all stared at him like he had lost his mind, I looked at Gabe and he shrugged he was just as mystified as I was at his father's story.

"Um that's a very nice story dear," Luiza said. "But how is that a pleasant dream?"

"Because it wasn't in the Ghetto." Alfred said simply.

At this Gabe covered his eyes and groaned while Luiza chuckled shaking her head. Rachel burst into laughter and Papa frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose. Emil was giggling even Adriana tittered at Alfred's offbeat humour. The rest of the meal was spent in discussion of a similar nature Papa, Gabriel and his parents talked about life before the war, before the Ghetto. Rachel told about some of her stories for school and her friends. As did Papa and his two friend's only form a teacher's perspective of course, Gabe told a few of his anecdotes from school. Adriana talked about the last time Emil had had birthday which had taken place on twenty-ninth of August 1939 only days before the invasion started. She hadn't been able to hold one for his last birthday as they had already been in the Ghetto. But she told us how happy that day had been. All Emil's friends had come and it had been wonderful for everyone who had been there.

I didn't really say anything which was traditional for me. I hardly ever said anything in such situations. I was usually content to just sit in the background and enjoy the conversation as an observer, not saying anything unless someone asked me a direct question. I'd never had good people skills but it was nice to sit and watch everyone else discuses about happier times.

While listening Adriana and the others talk I realized two things the first was that I couldn't remember the last time we'd done this. Just sit down to enjoy a good meal and conversation without worrying about the Germans, starvation or sickness of this horrible place. Those things where left on the door step for today. The second thing was that we had succeeded, we had given my little sister the best day we possible could for her birthday. It may not have been as opulent or as attended as Emil's had been two years ago, but it was still a success and Rachel had received the day she deserved because of it. I sighed contentedly and looked down at the table. The food was rapidly disappearing soon it would be nothing but a fond memory as this day would be. I only wished it could have lasted longer than it did.

Outside I heard something out in the street over the conversation, a sound that I had been dreading for over a year now.

"Everybody quiet, **_shut up_**," I yelled.

The conversation stopped abruptly.

"Lili that's really rude." My father said disapprovingly.

"**_Listen_**." I insisted.

Everyone at the table looked either irritated or confused but they stopped talking and in the quiet it became much more distinct, the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the out in the street. It was a sound that couldn't have been anything apart from German soldiers, I felt a cold sickening fear grip wrap around my gut.

"Alfred," Luiza's voice was a fearful rasp.

"It's alright love," He assured her, though his voice trembled. "We don't know they're coming here." He placed his hand over hers.

Then the sound of the footsteps changed as they entered the building with a crash of splintering wood and the sound of boot falls flood into the building. A moment later we heard the sound of doors being kicked open and people being ordered to get out. It filled the block in a cacophony that terrified me to my core. I wanted to get up and run, hide but there was no where to hide, no way out of the apartment, now way out of the building and with that knowledge the fear in my stomach crushed my insides.

"Papa," Rachel whimpered. He held up his hand to silence her, his eyes boring intently into the door as the footsteps approached. I looked at my sister, her eyes where wide and alarmed. I got up from my seat and went to her side pulling her into a comforting hug. Her arm encircled my waist and she pressed the side of her head against my chest keeping her eyes on the door.

The sound of footsteps reached its crescendo and then stopped just outside, for a brief moment there was dead silence that was almost smothering. Then a thunderous crash ripped through the quiet as the front door was kicked in and seven men dressed in grey uniforms stormed into the room. Rachel yelped and buried her face in my shirt as I tucked my nose and mouth and nose into her hair dropping to my knees keeping my sister in my arms and the fear encircling my stomach constricted into a knot.

The soldiers levelled their rifles at us the barking orders for us not to move then a voice the filtered into the room form the hallway.

"At ease men," a tall SS officer who was about six foot two maybe six foot three, it was difficult to tell from where I was crouching, strode casually into the apartment. "Is that anyway to behave? Remember we are guests in this home. Wait for me outside." He said politely and his men promptly left the room.

He removed his cap revealing a head of platinum blonde hair and pale blue eyes that widened slightly when he saw what was left of the food on the table and a grin spread across his lips. His face looked familiar, I'd seen him somewhere before but I just couldn't place him.

"A celebration," He cheered. "Well please don't feel the need to stop on account of me and my men. I may take a seated?" and he sat down in the chair where I had been only moments before without asking for permission he'd just requested.

"What are you doing here and who are you?" Papa asked curtly.

"At the moment I'm sitting at your table," The officer replied in mock innocence. "And as for who I am. My name is Elias Fenstermacher and I have the prestigious honor of holding the position of Unterfeldwebel as one of the Führer's Einsatzgruppen."

Alfred scowled "You're a Jew hunter."

"Oh come now Herr Jaskolaki is that anyway too treat a guest?" The SS man asked. "We are not Jew hunters, we merely seek out and neutralize threats to the Reich."

"How did you know my name?" Alfred asked his tone no less hostile.

"I know all your names." Elias replied pleasantly. "We have a great deal of information about everyone living in the Ghetto. For example Herr Fabian, I know today is your youngest daughter's birthday which I assume is what all this is in aid of," He gestured to the table. "On the subject of which where are you daughters?" he looked around the room until he saw us we hadn't moved from where we'd been crouched, he blinked and shook his head sadly. "Ladies what are you doing down there?"

"You leave them be." Papa said darkly after standing up quickly and knocking over his chair.

"I mean them no harm," He said as if he was shocked by the thought. "I just think it's sad that a young girl should spend her birthday on the floor."

"Look we all know the real reason you're here," Gabe said venomously. "So just get on with it or get the fuck out."

Alfred gave his son a warning glance which he didn't notice and Elias's eyes narrowed slightly at Gabriel's tone and I saw that Fenstermacher's mask of politeness was just that, a mask, a carefully constructed and rehearsed façade to conceal what I got a glimmer of in his eyes. A deep seeded loathing, loathing for Gabriel, for me, for anyone who was Jewish and we were at his mercy. The knot in my stomach clenched so tight I wanted to vomit. It would be a miracle if we lived through this.

"Do I have to have a reason to visit a friend?" Elias looked at Adriana who I noticed for the first time was so white she looked like a ghost and suddenly I remembered when I'd seen him. He was the same SS officer who had murdered her husband a few weeks before. I'd seen it form the window down on the street and hadn't been able to get a good look at him but this was defiantly the same man.

Everyone else had been out of the house when it happened. Papa and the Jaskolakis had been in teaching Rachel, Emil and all the other children in the apartment block in the makeshift class room that had once been the basement of the building. Gabe had been out doing god knew what and Adriana and Bruno had been returning from getting some of the meagre rations the Germans had been handing out. While heading home they had the misfortune of encountering Fenstermacher and his squad encountered two of them just outside the apartment building.

He'd demanded to know where they had gotten the food from Bruno had told them that they were the rations that had been supplied. Fenstermacher hadn't believed him and had ripped the food form his hands throwing it to the street. Bruno lost his temper and had called the SS officer everything the sun. Elias stood calmly as the angry let loss his tirade and after he was done Elias simply stared at him for a moment with an oddly amused smirk on his face then he clicked his fingers and his men grabbed Bruno. They rip him away from his screaming wife and shooting him in the head before marching off leaving the poor woman to weep over her dead husband.

I'd gone out to help her and comfort her as best I could and she begged me to help her move the body before Emil found it. We wrapped Bruno in an old sheet and hid him in an alleyway so at least her son had been spared the horror of seeing his father dead. When Papa and the others discovered what had happened they help us retrieve his body that night buried him in the Jewish cemetery. Though we didn't tell them who it was that had done the deed, what was there to tell, we didn't even know his name at the time.

"What…how do you know Adriana?" Papa said no one answered.

"Oh do tell, Fräulein Miazga," Elias said in derision. "How we became equated."

"Do you know him mommy?" Emil asked.

"You mean she never told you little one?" Elias said. "Rally Adriana to keep such secrets from your son."

Adriana broke out of her terror produced torpidity and she scooped her son into her arms and backed away until she was pressed against the wall.

"Don't you touch him," She screamed. "You leave him alone!"

"Fräulein, you wound me," he said with malicious smirk. "Was our last meeting really that unbearably?"

I felt a surge of anger rush through me. It was so intense it loosened the grip of the knot in my belly. As if it wasn't enough that he had murdered her husband in front of her, now he was taunting her about the crime. I stood up though Rachel stayed wrapped around my waist.

"STOP IT!" I yelled.

The Unterfeldwebel looked at me with genuine surprise on his face for the first time since he'd entered the apartment. He grinned in a friendly fashion that I didn't trust for a second. The mask was back in place.

"You must be Liliana," His voice was just as amiable as his smile. "Herr Fabian's eldest daughter, I trust form you tone that you disapprove my conversation Fräulein Miazga."

"This isn't a conversation," I said venomously. "This is you being a cruel bastard just leave her alone, she doesn't deserve this."

Elias's laugh was condescending "You have spirit girl you would have made a fine German wife." He sighed. "Too bad being born into this mongrel race of yours makes you unsuitable for such an honor."

I felt the anger inside intensify into hatred "If being unsuitable means I don't have to be labored with shit like you, I'll take that as a complement."

Elias let his mask slip again "You may take it any way you wish Junges Mädchen but while my men and I are here you will treat us with respect." Rachel pulled her embrace around my waist tighter.

"Lili," Papa cautioned. "I apologies for my daughter, but if you want some respect perhaps you should show us the same and tell us why you are here?"

Elias shielded his eyes and shook his head "Jewish hospitality is not what it used to be," he said his voice forming a guise of sadness he looked up and his mask was gone completely and the knot of fear returned to my stomach "As you are clearly unwilling to allow my men and myself to participate in you party then we might as well get down to business men!" Fenstermacher's men returned to the room and levelled their rifles at us. "Since you asked politely Herr Fabian I shall tell you, you are all under arrest."

"On what charge," Alfred demanded.

"Don't insult my intelligence," Elias growled. "Do you really think that if I know you names and the names of all your children I wouldn't know about your devious and illegal little school?!"

"How can a school be illegal?" Luiza asked. "We have a right to teach our children and…"

"You have no rights other than the ones we give you Frau Jaskolaki," the SS officer spat back. "And teaching you filthy spawn your dirty lies is not one of them, take them away!" His men started to advance.

"Wait," Alfred said.

"I have no interest in bargaining with you." Fenstermacher snapped.

"Just listen to me please," He implored "The school was our idea not our children's. Take us if you must, kill us even but leave them be they are innocent."

"Dad NO…" Gabe began.

"Be quiet son." Alfred commanded.

Elias glanced at Gabriel and then back at his father "Your son doesn't seem to agree with you martyrdom Alfred." He looked like he was on what Alfred's request and then he smiled cruelly. "Let me make a counter proposal, I'll grant half of your request."

The SS man pulled his pistol and shot Alfred twice once in the chest and another other in the head and Alfred's body flew back and smashed into the wall just beneath the window sill and then slumped lifeless.

"ALFRED!" Luiza screamed running to her husband's side as did Gabe.

"DAD…!" He yelled.

_Oh god, oh god, oh god_, those words replayed themselves in my head over and over.

I backed up to the wall doing my best to keep myself between Rachel, who was now weeping into my shirt, and the Germans guns. Papa rushed over to us using himself as a shield.

Luiza was crying hysterically over Alfred's body and Gabe looked stunned, there was no other way to describe what he looked like in that moment.

"Are there going to be any more arguments?" Elias asked his voice cruel and it seemed to refocus Gabe's attention. He looked at the Einsatzgruppen with undisguised hatred. He stood and screamed.

"You KILLED HIM! You FUCKING KILLED HIM! You killed my DAD!"And he took a step towards the SS officer.

"GABE NO!" I screamed but he was beyond hearing me.

Then Luiza stood and encircled Gabe with her arms hold tight "LET ME GO," He screamed. "LET ME GO, I'LL KILL HIM!"

"Try young man and join your father." Fenstermacher jeered.

Gabe tried to break free form Luiza's grasp but with the strength of a mothers love coursing through her she held fast "Gabriel please," She whimpered into his back. "Please stop this."

He looked furiously back at his mother "STOP THIS?" He yelled. "This bastard just killed DAD!" Elias grinned at Gabriel expectantly.

"I KNOW!" She yelled back then her voiced softened. "I know that's why I can't let you do this. I...I can't lose you too Gabe...please, please stop."

Her son glared at her for another moment and the slumped into her arms "T-they killed him..." He whispered tearfully.

"I know son b-but there's nothing we can do now...oh God there's nothing we can do.'

"There **_is_** something you can do," Fenstermacher growled clearly disappointed that he hadn't got to kill, anyone else. "And the is GET YOU FUCKING SUB-HUMAN ASSES OUT OF THIS BUILDING WITH THE REST NOW!"

Gabe tired to break free of his mothers arms again but she stopped him and urged him to do as the SS officer said and the two of them left the apartment. I noticed Luiza was trying not to look at the body that had once been her husband with the bullet wounds leaking blood that was forming scarlet pools and flood the room with it's sickening copperish stench. They where followed by Adriana with her son in her amrs who looked more confused than anything else and then Papa tunred to us.

"Come on Lili, Rachel," He breathed his face still shocked. "W-we...we have to go." And he ushered us out of the room where we joined the other inhabitants of the block that where being bustled out of the building. Before leaving the threshold though I glanced one last time at the apartment that had been a prison to me and my family and friends for over almost twenty weeks and had now become the place where a man I'd known all my life, a man who had been like a second father to me had been murdered in cold blood on the whim of a madman. A prison we where now leaving to a place I had no idea where but wherever it was I had a dreadful feeling this nightmare was far form over.

**So what do you think feel free to review, bear in mind this is my first fanfic so please be kind. I know there was no vampires in this chapter don't worry they on their way, which I'll hopefully be able to get up soon until then. **


	3. Chapter 3

**At last I've finished chapter two, man this one was a hard one to think up but here it is for you to enjoy. I hope none of you fined the German dialogue towards the end confusing. I included those to try and give a sense of authenticity to the character interaction and if anyone out there, who speaks German see problems with some of the words in said dialogue. Bear in mind I did use Google translate to create it. Anyways as previously stated this story takes place in Hollowgo's Blood Solstice version of the Twilight mythology, who was kind enough to let me play in his sand box. I hope like it, enjoy. **

**Lambs to the Slaughter**

Fenstermacher ordered us and the other inhabitants of the apartment block out onto the narrow street that the building faced where we were confronted by more of the Einsatzgruppen with machine guns and large German Shepherds that barked, growled and strained against their masters leashes. They ordered everyone to form a line with the seven of us bringing up the rear.

I was at the front of our small group, just behind a man who I recognized as having lived a few doors down from us but for the life of me couldn't remember his name. He held his little girl in his arms, who probably younger than Emil and his shoulders and posture where set rigidly tense. I would have attributed this to fear, which was hardly surprising considering what we were facing, except that he didn't seem afraid. He looked like he was…preparing for something. His lips where pursed tight and his eyes looked determined, like whatever he had planned he was ready like a coiled spring to pounce at the first opportunity.

From the apartment windows the soldiers still in the building started hurling suitcases and bags onto the streets, removing anything of value they could find and form the window that led to our bedroom, I saw the suitcase my family had been living out of for what seemed like forever clatter fall and clatter to the street. Seeing the case laying there I suddenly remembered that the only picture I had of my mother was in there. The longing I felt to run to it and retrieve the photograph was almost overwhelming. It was only reminder I had of the woman who gave birth to me apart from the broach I'd given to only just Rachel and God only knew if she still had it. I felt my throat constrict and my chest tighten as guards forced us away and I took one last anguished glance at the incongruous looking suitcase before it was obscured form view and the only image I had of Mama was lost to me forever.

The German soldiers marched us down the street to a large square. There I could see a bustling multitude of other people who like us had been confined in the Ghetto because they were Jewish. All dressed against the cold, some huddled together for warmth and others kept their coats tucked tightly around their bodies as they walked and all of them ignored us as we entered the area, refusing to acknowledge what was happening. They'd seen all this happen before and it was quite possible that it would soon be their turn, so they refused to acknowledge what was happening out of fear was my guess. There was however few exceptions when every some of the people would glance our way as they went about their business. One in particular was a woman that looked to be in her late forties or early fifties who stopped to look us. She looked at me and her eyes fell on Rachel who was just behind me. For a brief moment I saw horror, sympathy and sorrow fill her face and just before a man about her age, maybe a little older, ushered her along I could have sworn I saw her eyes beginning to fill with tears as she disappeared into the crowed.

My attention had been so focused on this woman that I jumped back in surprise as the man in front of me took the moment he'd been waiting for and made a break for it, knocking over one of the guards in the process. He ran still holding his daughter towards the crowd. I could only guess that he was hoping to lose himself amongst the mass of people in the square. Unfortunately when our captors amid their rifles at the two the crowd in front of him parted like the Red Sea in fear of the bullets that would shortly be unleashed. The man ran to the left and once again, every person in his path shied away from him. He tried going right next with the same result. I couldn't see his face but I knew he was starting to panic, racing wildly form side to side in an erratic zigzag.

"HALT or we fire!" Fenstermacher commanded.

"For God's sake HELP US!" He yelled his voice laced with desperation.

Fenstermacher took aim "Last warning!" The SS Unterscharführer barked.

The man kept running trying to escape and then it happened, the soldiers opened fire and both he and his little girl collapsed to the ground as the bullets ripped into their bodies and the square was thrown into hysteria. People diving for cover, running, screaming, it was utter bedlam. I dropped to my knees, scrunching myself into a ball and covered my ears against the thunderous noise. When the gun fire stopped I slowly rose and saw the two corpses lying in the street tattered by bullet wounds together with four other bystanders who hadn't been lucky enough to get out of the way in time. There was blood pooling around the bodies which reminded me all too well of what had happened to Alfred less than ten minutes earlier. It was horrible and I was left too frightened to even think of making any kind of escape attempt of my own now as where the rest of the people in the line.

They led us to the other side of the square where a row of seven trucks and five cars which stood parked and they began ordering us on the trucks. Over the next few minutes we all entered the large, ugly vehicles. Being at the back of the line we were the last to be loaded on and once everyone was on board, the engines flared to life like a growling of some hungry monster and the truck started moving.

The fearful knot in my middle that had been with me since the apartment was now joined by something else, something just as cold and unwelcome as fear and a lot less useful, despair, pure undiluted despair. I'd always known there was a good chance that I wouldn't live through this and I, like so many others, wouldn't be around when this God awful war reached its end, but I had allowed a small part of myself to hope. Hope that maybe my family and I might just make it through this. That we would live to see the occupation of Poland finish and hopefully the SS and their collaborators brought to justice. That hope was now rapidly falling away, into an agonizing black pit of heartache. This was really it. We were all going to die.

My gaze fell on Rachel who sat next to me on my right, she looked…well, shell shocked, I suppose. I really couldn't think of any other word to describe her expression, it was as if all the horrible events of today and the memories that they left in their wake were swarming through her head and her young mind was caught in a desperate struggle to make sense of them.

Papa sat just down from her and his face was a collage of different emotions; I could make out anger, fear, hatred, despair and an odd bitterness. All of these things I could see boiling just beneath the surface, but they seemed to be turned inwards in a way that I couldn't quite understand. I doubted I ever would, seeing as I probably had very little time to live.

Then I looked around the confines of the truck at the faces that looked back at me out of the shadows. All people I recognized, all people who had lived in the same apartment as us and all people who in spite of our time together, I barely knew and now never would. There were about twenty people in total and all of them, in one way or another, where mirrors of my sister and father; all angry, sad or frightened and all here almost certainly just as aware as I was that we could expect the worst.

Then my eyes found Gabriel and his expression frightened as well as saddened me. His face was a combination grief and frustration mixed with rage that I could see fuming inside him like a furnace. Not that I could blame him, he'd just seen his own father murdered, gunned down like a wild animal. And for what, what crime had Alfred committed to deserve that? What crime had any of us committed? Apart from the fact that we were Jewish and how could _**that**_ be considered a crime? He had every right to be angry and resentful, but I'd never seen my friend like this. True he'd always been a quiet and shy person but upbeat and optimistic as well. To see him filled with such blatant fury and hated like this was…disturbing, I didn't like it, at all, but what could I do? What could I say that make him feel better? There was nothing I could or say, there was nothing I could that would bring his father back or make him forget what had happened. I hated it, that my friend was in pain and I was powerless to do anything about.

I turned my attention to Luiza who was seated next to her son and looked utterly grief stricken and drained as she sat there her head rested on Gabe's shoulder her body rocking gently with the movement of the truck.

"Mommy, where are we going?" I turned my attention left to see Emil looking up at his mother expectantly.

Adriana returned her sons gaze and tried to force back the tears that I could see forming in her eyes that burned with hopelessness "W-we're…we're going to see Daddy." She barely managed.

Emil's face lit up jubilantly "Really," He breathed "We're really going to see Daddy?"

She seemed to be about to answer his question but the words died in her mouth and she simply nodded, her lips quivering with barely suppressed emotion as they attempted form a smile and she lost the battle with the water in her eyes as a number tears ran down her face.

Her son frowned concernedly at her "What's wrong Mommy, why are you crying?"

"I-I'm just," Her voice cracked and she wiped her eyes with the heel of her right hand. "I'm just h-happy to be seeing your father soon."

Emil looked confused "Why are you crying if you're happy?"

She flashed him another broken smile "S-sometimes grownups do that honey." She stroked his head lovingly.

His perplexed expression deepened "But that's silly."

Adriana chuckled tearful "I know, it is silly isn't it!?"

Emil face became sympathetic and gave her a gentle hug "You shouldn't cry Mommy we'll be with Daddy soon."

She returned the gesture wrapping her arms around her son "Y-y-yes we will, w-we'll all be together s-soon," She sobbed, her eyes now streaming with water the pain she'd been desperately fighting to control breaking lose. "Oh…oh Emil, my son, m-my little boy." And she crushed him to her chest.

I felt horrible for her, having to lie to her son like this, knowing that he was facing death and being unable to tell him. Seeing her so utterly distraught like this was heartbreaking, she'd lost so much since the Ghetto and now to have this happen to her was just…words could describe the injustice of it. Then she looked up as if she could since that I'd been watching. Her eyes bored into mine pleading. Begging me to find some way out of this horror, to save her son from what was coming, to save them both. If only I could save Emil and Rachel and every one this and the other trucks form the death that what doubtlessly awaiting them, but that was well beyond my power now. There was nothing I could do for them, Adriana and Emil, for Gabe and his mother, or even Papa and Rachel and I had to look down, unable to stand the force of her beseeching gaze, it was unbearable. The rest of the journey was spent in almost complete silence; apart from the occasional murmur from one the other prisoner's that was rendered incomprehensible by the engine.

The truck slowed to a stop when we reached the wall that encircled the Ghetto and I heard the sound of one of the gates swinging open and then the trucks began moving again. Through the opining in the of the tarpaulin at the back of the trailer, which I suspected was more to do with restricting our vision than keeping out the cold as it was freezing, I could see the streets of the Warsaw drift by. Streets that I hadn't walked or even seen in over a year, streets of the city that I'd been born and raised in and streets that I would never see again. It was difficult to tell exactly where in the city this was or what direction the trucks were going in but before long we left Warsaw behind and where entering the country and gradually, the icy, snow covered landscape became more and more wild. I was beginning to lose track of time, we could have been travelling for forty minutes, maybe fifty or even an hour. It was impossible to tell the passing time with any sense of accuracy in the darkened gloom and soon I had no idea how long we'd been moving or where we were.

Then after what could have been a day or two of travel, the truck slowed to a halt and moments later one of the SS men was at the back ordering us out of the truck. Papa, Rachel and I were amongst the first to pile out due to our close proximity to the entrance. We stepped onto a dirt road and when my dazzled eyes adjusted to light I saw that terminated in a dead end and was lined on both sides by large alpines that had kept their green foliage through the winter months. The trees branches weighed down by the same snow that coated every patch of earth for what must have been miles around, there where places that looked like it must be knee deep.

This place looked familiar somehow and I realized it was very similar to the forest near the village of Jezioro Lorenc where my mother had been born and my aunt Ada and her family had still lived. This meant we must have traveled roughly fifty miles from Warsaw depending which side of the forest we were on, it was a very large expanse of wilderness and if we had stopped on the side that the village faced we had, as I suspected, traveled fifty miles give or take. If we'd travelled to the other side however, well that meant we'd gone even further than that.

The guards moved us into a line again and ushered us to the end of the road to a thin line of trees and through them was a large clearing. It must have been almost hundred yards across with more soldiers waiting there for us also Einsatzgruppen who'd I assumed where more of Fenstermacher men. Roughly in the middle was a recently dug hole large enough to bury six cars a still have a little room to spear. Once we were all in the open space a frigid gust of wind swept through the forest and screamed across the clearing, it pulled and tore at my hair and clothing, wafting around my bear thighs under my dress. Although I barely felt it, my blood had turned to ice water the second I'd seen the great hole in the ground. The guards ordered us to stop about twenty yards from the pit.

It had been an inescapable fact that this would happen the moment we'd been taken. Now that it was here though, now that I was facing it I was filled with terror. My breath came in shallow gasps and the twin knots of fear and despair chocking my insides now more than ever where joined by a third coiled thread of emotion, sorrow. I didn't want this; I didn't want to die like this or my family or friends. It wasn't fair that we could be killed, murdered for something that wasn't our fault, something we shouldn't be killed for. I was only seventeen and my sister had turned thirteen only hours ago and now this would be the last day of her life.

All the emotion I'd been numb to from shock and all the fear that I'd been repressing came crushing down on me with the force of a mountain. My body went limp, losing almost all of its strength causing my knees to buckle. If Papa hadn't been there to support me and hold me steady, I would have crumpled to the ground.

"Lili are you alright?" He asked his voice soft with concern.

I couldn't answer; my throat was so tight that all I could manage was a few strangled croaks and I felt my eyes dampen.

Papa's face broke with remorse "Oh Lili," He pulled me into a hug, rubbing circles into my back. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I'm sorry."

I put my arms around him and squeezed him as tight as possible, I couldn't believe he was saying he was sorry as if I blamed him for any of this. He had nothing to apologies for.

I suddenly felt another pair of arms encircle my waist and saw Rachel looking at me, her eyes also watery "It's okay Lili, don't cry," Her voice was so quietly it was almost a whisper. "At least we're together."

I smiled brokenly as I placed my hand on top of her head and tousled her hair. I didn't try and speak again, I didn't need to, the intense feeling of love and the iron bonds of family between us said more than words ever could convey.

Then I noticed Fenstermacher, he held his head high and his eyes had a gleeful satisfaction at seeing my distress as well as that of the others in the clearing. I blinked back the tears as I felt my features turn hard as a surge of hatred anger run through me and I pushed gently away from my father, who resisted at first, but released me when he saw the look on my face and his became understanding of the fact that I didn't need him to hold me anymore. I stared back at the leader of this Einsatzgruppen squad and I let the anger, frustration and hatred flood my face. If I was going to die here today I'd die a brave death, proud of the fact that I was Jewish as my family had always been. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble. I would _**not **_give him that pleasure.

His face fell, his eyes narrowing, angered by my defiance and once again I could see through his façade as I had back at the apartment. I could see the cruelty, the madness, the hatred and evil of this man burning behind his eyes. I meet them with my own and was surprised that I didn't flitch. After all he was going to kill me anyway, what did I have to lose? Then his face broke into a malicious grin and he turned back to his men. He barked a few commands to them in German then turned back to address us.

"I'm sure most of you people know why you are here," He said the deceitful mask once again in place. "For those of you who do **not** know allow me to educate you. You are here to answer for your crimes against the Reich," He smiled sneeringly. "You have broken the laws of the Father Land and as such you have brought this fate on yourselves."

The prisoners reacted to this a various ways, some looked confused, others were frightened, some like Gabe, Papa and myself glared defiantly back but most of them seemed morose than anything else.

"All of you knew the rules," The Unterfeldwebel continued his eyes sweeping the crowd. "And yet you established an illegal school in a pathetic attempt to teach your abominable offspring of the Ghetto and for that…well let's face it," He chuckled sadistically. "You're fucked."

A chorus of amused laughter ran through the rest of the Einsatzgruppen and I clenched my hands into fists, I'd never felt such a sense of injustice.

Suddenly my father began pushing his way through the crowd to the front of the mass and my anger became coupled with a feeling of dread. I hurried after him, hoping whatever he had planned wasn't what I was afraid it was, but just in case it was I wasn't going to let him out of my sight. As I made my way through the crowd behind him with Rachel, Gabe and Luiza following all of whom were probably worrying about the same thing I was.

"Unterfeldwebel Fenstermacher," He called when he'd reached the assemblage.

"You have something to say Herr Fabian?" The SS officer asked almost pleasantly, through his eyes where still filled with malice.

Papa regarded him coolly for a moment the said "Unterfeldwebel if you have brought us here to punish someone for breaking your…laws," He almost vomited the word.

"That is correct,"

"Then I am the one who should be looking to, kill me if you must but let the others go free." Papa confessed.

The anger in me was completely washed away now by the dread that became the foremost emotion in my mind and I was almost instantly in a state of panic "Papa what are you DOING?" I yelled.

"Be quiet Lili!" He commanded in a voice that brokered no room for argument, I looked back at my two friends and sister behind me. Rachel had gone white as chalk, Gabe looked frightened and furious at the same time and Luiza was nothing short of horrified. _Is he out of his mind_,I thought _didn't he see what happened to Alfred when he tried this?_

"You say someone must be held responsible," Papa continued. "The school was my idea and the so responsibility is mine." He gestured to all of us behind him. "These people should not have to pay for my sins, please, I ask you to let them go back to the Ghetto."

Fenstermacher stared at my Papa for what seemed like a very long time his expression empty, unreadable. Then he said in a very flat voice "I'm afraid that you are incorrect Herr Fabian, they are just as responsible for what has happened as you are," Then his baleful grin that I was getting all too sick of retuned. "And must take part in _**your**_ punishment."

I couldn't see Papas face but his voice was outraged "How?" He demanded. "The school was planned by me. This has nothing to do with these people!" He gestured towards us a second time.

"They share your guilt through association," Fenstermacher said matter of factly and I realized that he wasn't slightly interested in the justice of his Reich or the enforcing of the law. He just wanted see blood spilt by the bucket loads. I didn't know what his status was amongst the SS but I was positive that this man must be one of the worst, if not _**the**_ worst of the lot.

"For God's sake man they didn't do anything," Papa insisted. "They have nothing to answer for!"

"That is for me to decide," The SS officer snapped his patience fraying. "And it is not only you who taught at your school," He turned his attention to Luiza. "Was he Fräulein Jaskolaki?"

"No he didn't," Luiza said and I turned my head to look at her, her hatred of him was so intense I could almost feel it radiate off her like heat. "I too taught the children in our neighborhood of the Ghetto just as Borys did, but what he said is true, you have no right to punish these people for our actions." Her voice was full of contempt but she was doing what she could to keep it under control.

Fenstermacher shook his head in exasperation as if he was dealing with a troublesome child "You people are unbelievable, I'd have thought that you'd have learned from you late husband's mistake," I saw Gabe tense out of the corner of my eye then the Unterfeldwebel's face darkened. "We servants of the Father Land do not negotiate with stinking, inhuman Jews!" He practically spat the last words from his mouth as if they carried some displeasing flavor with them.

I felt my anger flare again, after what he and his fellow officers had done. Invading our country, crushing thousands lives, the countless people they'd murdered. This foul, vile piece of death worshiping shit had the audacity to call us inhuman. In that moment if I'd had the power I'd have ripped him to pieces, rushed over there and tore him limb from limb. It was a feeling I suspected was echoed by Papa, Gabe and Luiza and some of the others of the gathering had the same look of hatred towards this monster. Others seemed more afraid crying and hugging and kissing their loved ones goodbye.

Suddenly Fenstermacher's face became ponderous and he tapped his chin thoughtfully "However you do have a point," He mused. "You and Herr Fabian are more deserving of this than anyone else here."

"Does that mean that you'll let our children and the others go?" Luiza asked almost hopefully. "You won't kill everybody here?"

"No," He said simply. "Just that you and you families will be the first to receive what's coming to you." And with that he pulled his gun and shot Luiza in the head.

I wasn't entirely sure I believed what had just happened, or maybe I didn't want to, I couldn't acknowledge that this woman I'd known all my life had just been gunned down by this madman. I hadn't even fully processed how we'd ended up here, how a day that had had started so wonderfully, or as wonderful as a day could get in the Ghetto, had become this…this nightmare. Now someone else I had known and loved for as long as I could remember was gone. My mind was seemed detached from what was happening that to this day I still can't recall most what happened next. The following events seemed to blend together in a horrific kaleidoscope of mayhem. Gabe screaming his mother's name desperately and cursing Fenstermacher, Papa dropping to Luiza's side as if to help, Rachel at my side clinging to me and beginning to weep into my shirt, all the other prisoners in the clearing in a state of almost total panic the only thing keeping them from running was their fear of the guns that were trained on them - and me in the middle of it all. Suspended somewhere between the horrible reality of what had happen and blissful refusal to accept it. Though I could feel my mind coming closer to that moment of terrible clarity, but I was fighting it, I didn't want this to be real.

"God you mindless, murdering bastard, you killed her, you FUCKING KILLED HER!" Gabriel's scream cut through my shocked stupor and I came to my senses.

"Silence," Fenstermacher commanded and aimed his gun at my friend and I felt my heart jump into my throat.

Gabe glared back at the SS officer then slowly rose to his feet "Do it," He roared at him. "Do it you fucking inhuman son of a bitch! Just do it…" his voice cut off in a scream as he began to step forward and Fanstermacher shot him in the leg just above the knee.

Suddenly, before I knew what I was doing I ran in front of him my hands up defensively "Leave him ALONE!" I screamed hysterically.

"Lili what the hell are you doing?" Papa demanded as he scooped Rachel into his arms.

"I won't let you kill him!" I screamed at Fenstermacher as he looked back at me with an amused smirk.

"You know Liliana you have my thanks," He said. "You've just given me an excellent idea." He then turned to address eight of his men "Gekommen mit mir." Then he and the men he'd selected began walking toward us.

I couldn't let them do this. I looked around wildly for help. But everywhere all I saw were the faces of people terrified beyond belief, even Gabe was still looking down at his dead mother who was now cradled in his arms. Adriana was lost in the crowd and I sure as hell wasn't going to ask Rachel, my little sister, to do anything.

"Lili, for God's sake get back," Papa demanded.

"Papa they're gonna kill him!" I yelled furiously.

"NO!" Rachel wailed behind me.

"Actually we're not going to kill him," Fenstermacher said and I looked up to discover he was now standing over me; he looked back at his men. "Ergreifen Sie sie!"

The eight men stepped around Fenstermacher, two of them grabbed hold of my arms and hauled me to my feet, I looked over my shoulder when Rachel let loose a terrified scream and saw two more of them grab Papa while the other pear tore her out of his arms kicking and screaming.

"Stop it," I yelled. "Leave her alone!"

"I mean her no harm," Fenstermacher said. "Yet."

The final pair of soldiers grabbed Gabe and pulled him up roughly to his feet causing him to groan in pain as he was forced to stand on his wounded leg.

"What are you DOING?" Papa demanded.

Fenstermacher smiled at him sadistically "You said as much yourself Herr Fabian that you are for mostly responsible for school and deserve the punishment, what better punishment than this?" He then spoke to the men who were holding me. "Sie kennen was zu tun."

Then my captors began dragging _me_ towards the edge of the pit with their Unterfeldwebel marching in front and I realized with horror what his plan was. He was going to kill me, in front of my father and little sister. He was going to force them to watch.

"NO," Papa screamed. "Not her. Not her PLEASE. LET HER GO!"

Fenstermacher laughed "This is all your own doing Herr Fabian."

"NO!" I looked back and one of the six soldiers who held Papa rammed his fist into his stomach when he tried to get free.

"PAPA!" I screamed.

Rachel was screaming now "Lili, Lili no Lili, Lili no, NO!" As she tried in vain to break free from the men who held her.

I noticed that Gabe had a look total fear and rage on his face as he looked at me. I could tell he desperately wanted to come to me, to do something, but was held fast and one of the SS men came to stand I front of him aiming a machine gun at his chest.

"Don't kill any of them if you can avoid it," Fentermacher said. "I want them to see this."

I turned my head towards the SS officer wishing I could burn a hole through him with a stare. I didn't want it to end like this, shot in the head and left to rot in a communal grave in a frost bitten meadow and certainly not in front of my family and best friend. But if this was how it was going to happen, if I was going to die here today, I was not going stick to my earlier plan. I wasn't give Fenstermacher the satisfaction of seeing me afraid. It took all of my will power to suppress the terror that I felt and set my jaw while gave the man, who in only half a day had become the one person I hated more than anyone or anything else on God's earth, the most hate filled, venomous glare I could manage.

When Fenstermacher reached the pit and turned to face me his self-satisfied grin slipped and I could see he was doing his best not to look disappointed that I wasn't giving him the reaction he'd wanted. At least I'd have that small consolation and I surprised both him and myself when I found that smirking smugly at him.

Then one of the soldiers kicked the back of my knee which exploded in pain and I barely swallowed the scream that almost ripped forth from my throat as I dropped to one knee on the edge of the hole.

"LILI," Papa yelled in desperation and I fought the remorse that was surging through me from showing on my face.

I wish he didn't have to see this, oh God this was end, I was going to die. I heard one of the soldiers take up position directly behind me. I closed my eyes _don't show them you're afraid_, _do not show them you afraid_ I repeated in my head.

"Just remember Borys, you did this." Fentermacher called across the clearing and I heard whoever was behind me cock his rifle.

"No don't, please, NOOOOO!" Papa screamed.

I tightened my eye lids and braced myself for the end, _don't let it hurt_, _please don't let it hurt_, then I heard a machine gun go off and my chest cavity constrict so tightly that I couldn't breathe. For a second I thought I was dead and extremely grateful that I hadn't felt a moment of pain when something heavy smashed into my shoulder, almost knocking me over. My eyes shot open and I saw the soldier who had been about to kill me lying prone in the pit, his back sporting a line of bullet holes.

"Im Namen was…" Fentermacher voice took on an air of disbelief which the turned to fury. "Stoppen Sie ihn Schuss er jetzt..." That was as far as he got as whoever shot his man fired at him and he quickly jumped into the pit as did most of his men as three more soldiers fell dead.

"Lili run," Gabe yelled and I glanced over my shoulder to see what was happening.

I don't know how he'd managed it but Gabe was fire one of the Germans machine guns the six bodies of the guards lay on the ground around him shot dead. Gabe was now firing at the pit trying to avoid hitting me behind him the rest of the prisoners where running.

"Lili for God's sake RUN," Gabe yelled again over the gun fire.

I looked back into the pit right into the murderous eyes of Fenstermacher who leveled his Lugar at my head. I flung myself onto my back narrowly avoiding the shot that I could have sworn caught on my hair. I scrambled to my feet and bolted. All the prisoners where making a break for the edge of the clearing. I surveyed the crowd trying to pick out my family but it was impossible while sprinting to find an individual in the stampede of panic stricken people. Then from out of nowhere Papa was in front of me with Rachel beside him.

"Come on Lili, we have to go." He yelled garbing me by my hand and made a dash the forest boundary, dragging me and my sister behind him.

**So there you have it chapter two of 'Winters Grip' and yes it ended on another cliff hanger. Don't worry, with a little luck I'll be able produce the third chapter soon and that will mark the first appearance of vampires to the story. Oh well as you know reviews are always welcome and I hope to see you all soon, until then adios. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone, I'm back, sorry for yet another delay in getting this chapter out but it's here, chapter three of 'Winters Grip'. Anyway as you know I claim no ownership of the characters or mythos 'Twilight' that is the province of Stephanie Myer and the 'Blood Solstice' mythos is that of Hollowgo, I only own the characters in this story that where conceived by me, anyway without further ado read my story and see what awaits you. **

**Into the Forest**

I was freezing, my legs were almost totally numb from the cold and while my coat, socks, shoes, scarf and long thick skirt where providing some protection against the weather it sure as hell didn't feel like it. Plus the occasional gusts of icy wind that swept through the trees weren't helping either. The only thing that was preventing me from losing all feeling in my hands face and legs was the intense exertion it was taking to move through the thick snow covering every scrap of ground. Other than that I was colder than I could ever remember being in my entire life.

Papa was making better progress than I was and walked a few feet ahead but he was still feeling the weather. The way he had his hands balled into fists, not in anger, but trying to keep as much skin on his palms and fingers out of the cold as he could. His posture was hunched and he regularly closed the collar of his jacket where all obvious signs the temperature was getting to him.

Poor Rachel was suffering the most, she had done what she could to keep up but she was continually lagging behind and it had gotten to the point where she'd needed help just to keep pace with us. I had her hand and was moving as slowly as I could for her sake while still trying to keep up with Papa. Her finger tips where ice cold against the skin of my hand and I could just make out the slight murmur of her teeth chattering. She was really struggling with the snow and the cold was eating into her.

One thing I was certain of was that we couldn't stay out here; we only had about two hours of daylight probably less and once night came on then this cold would be nothing compared to how low the temperature would drop. To make things worse the weather wasn't our only problem, in the distance I could still hear the barking of dogs almost softened into a whisper. Every now then was the sound of soldier's voices and at least once I could swear that I detected Fenstermacher's shrieking commands. If only that were all I could hear, the occasional cries of pain and anguish as the Einsatzgruppen found Jews who hadn't been lucky enough to keep out of their hands and this was always followed by the crack of gunfire.

It had gone on like that for about thirty minutes and for most of that time we'd been running for our lives with those horrible sounds following. We'd just now been able slow down having hopefully put a large enough distance between Fenstermacher's squad and us to relax a little. I was still amazed that we'd made it to the safety of the forest alive. I kept rerunning the details of our escape in my head over and over again and still found it hard to believe. The fact that we'd actually managed to escape the clearing when Germans started shooting back after their initial shock at Gabriel's attack was a miracle in its own right. Gabe's gunfire had fallen silent; when that happened I spun around my eyes darting wildly around the clearing looking for my friend. I couldn't see any sign of him but it wasn't easy to get a good look through the veil of trees and branches, not without giving away where I was to the Germans. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked over to see my father.

"Lili we have to leave," he said his voice soft but acute. He had an intense look on his face that was somewhere between fear and determination.

I cast one last desperate glance back through the trees for Gabe and found nothing "Gabe," I whispered. "I-I'm so sorry." And I followed Papa into the forest.

It wasn't just our escape that I was finding hard to credit either. It was impossible to come to terms with what had happened. I knew the only thing that mattered right then and there was survival and the need to get out of the cold and away from the SS but I couldn't stop feeling angry and disgusted at myself for leaving Gabriel. He was my friend, I'd known all my life and had loved like a brother and I had left him to die. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't reconcile the part of myself that had been his friend and had grown up with him with the part that had been willing to abandon him to his fate. I understood why my father had left him, his only priority had been ensuring that Rachel and I were safe, but what was my excuse, my justification? I could help thinking about what I might have been able to do if I'd just gone back for him. Could I have saved him, would he be alive now if I tried? I didn't know but the possibility that my friend would still be with us now if I had was torturing me.

My melancholic reverie was broken when I felt Rachel's hand slipped out of mine and I looked down just in time to see her fall in the snow on her hands and knees with an exhausted whimper. The cold and snow and the running must worn her out, this coupled with her lack of sleep due to her bad dreams last night couldn't have done much for her stamina.

"Oh no Rachel," I crooned crouching beside her and rubbing her back sympathetically. "Papa," I called.

"What's wrong?" He asked walking back towards us.

"She's worn out Papa," I replied as he reached our side.

He crouched down "You okay Elle?"

"Oh yeah, best birthday ever," surprisingly she smiled, albeit weakly.

Papa smiled and then without saying a word scooped his daughter into his arms and easily lifted her off the ground.

"Whoa…what…wait, w-what are you doing?" Rachel stammered face stunned.

"I'll carry you the rest of the way honey." He replied warmly and then I suddenly realized that we'd been on the move for a long time now and the only one who seemed to have any idea where we were going was Papa or at least that's what I hoped.

"Where are we going to go? What are we going to do?" I asked airing my thoughts.

"Well I've been thinking about that," he sighed. "And the way I see it the only place we can go is Jezioro Lorenc, it's quite near here."

"Are you sure you can even find it?" I asked doubtfully. "I mean we're in the middle of nowhere."

He smiled and nodded confidently "I know this area quite well," He said. "Your mother and I used to come here often before we moved to Warsaw. We explored this forest a lot back in the day, never during the winter of course but I recognize this place," He gestured in the direction we'd run form. "We use to go to that clearing many times." And his smile fell slightly and he looked sad suddenly and I realized that this had once been a happy place for him, full of good memories that had now been ruined, just something else the Germans stolen. "The point is if we keep moving in this direction," He now indicated the way we'd been moving in. "We should get to the village hopefully before night fall and we can't go back to the Ghetto."

"And what do we do once we're there?" I asked still uncertain.

"I'm actually hoping that the Germans haven't gone to Jezioro Lorenc," He answered thought he didn't seem as confident this time. "It's a tiny little place and it possible they passed it by and if they have we might be able to find your Dobromił and Aunt Ada and their family."

I still wasn't convinced, I did hope that Aunt Ada, uncle Dobromił and my cousins Adam and Filipina had escaped the invasion if Jezioro Lorenc had slipped under the radar but that hope was almost certainly a false one. The Germans had been many things in this war but sloppy wasn't one of them. The chances that any village, no matter how small, could survive the invasion unscathed was virtually impossible.

"And if we can't find them…" I asked. "What do we do then?"

He shrugged "I guess we'll just have to find a way to escape Poland and then try to get out of Europe if we can."

I looked at him like he'd just sprouted an elephants trunk and wings "H-how are we gonna get out of Poland?" I asked. "And why do we have to leave Europe?"

Papa shook his head bitterly "The Germans won't stop with Poland Lili," he sounded like he had a slice of melon in his mouth. "Soon nowhere on the continent will be safe and the only way we can escape this completely is to leave Europe all together."

"Where are we gonna go Papa?" Rachel asked.

"I'm not sure yet, we could try getting to America I suppose. I do speak a little English and could always learn more." He replied.

"America," I asked incredulously. "How do we get there? And even if we can what do we do after that?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet," he conceded. "I'm just trying to solve one problem at a time and first we have to get out of this cold before we do anything else. We'll just have to worry about crossing the other bridges when we come to them."

I crossed my arms and hung my head glumly, I didn't like this plan and I didn't like the idea of leaving Poland, this had been my home all my life. I'd never gone anywhere else and why would I? I like it here or at least I had before the war. I understood that my father was right, that staying in this country was out of the question if we wanted to have any hope of surviving but that didn't change the fact that I wasn't happy about it.

"Lili," Papa raised his eyebrows and inclined his head slightly.

I sighed and nodded unwillingly "Alright fine can we please get going." I muttered petulantly.

"I don't want to leave either sweetheart," He said softly. "If there was any way we could stay I'd stay it, believe me."

My face softened "I know Papa it's just…it's just not fair, we shouldn't be forced to leave."

Papa nodded in agreement "No it's not fair but who knows, we might not be gone forever, we might come back on day." I knew he was trying to cheer me up but I was still grateful for it.

I smiled "I hope so," I turned and made off into the forest ahead of them. "So are you two coming or what?" Papa followed me with my little sister.

"Papa y-you don't have to carry me," She protested. "It's embarrassing."

"Rachel you can barely walk," He chided. "If you keep going like you have you'll be dead on your feat in no time."

"But…I…you…" Her protest died in her mouth and she didn't say anything else after that and form my father's chuckle I guessed she was sulking.

We trudged through the snow for the next few minutes without speaking and with exception of our foot falls and breathing the forest was dead silent. All the usual sounds and sights that I might have expected to find in a forest such as this had long since vanished with the onset of winter and for what seemed like a very long time we continued walking through an almost complete noiseless landscape. If I hadn't know any better I could have sworn that we were the only people left in the world, that the apocalypse had come and gone, leaving only my sister, my father and me as the only survivors. Something that might just end up happening if this war got any worse than it already had, except we probably wouldn't be the survivors.

The trees where getting denser and denser and in some places they grew so closely together they formed a wall of vegetation. There were even patches of ground which had almost no snow where it had been already been caught by the canopy above. I only hoped that Papa really did know where he was going, the forest had become a chaotic labyrinth and if he was lost, which I certainly was, we'd never get out of here.

Then form behind me was a loud crack that filled me with dread, it was the sound of a gun being fired, this was abruptly followed by a dull thud and a frightened yelp from my sister and I spun around. Rachel was lying on the ground just behind me and I my gaze darted up to where Papa was lying prone in the snow and I blanched. The left side of his face was buried in the snow and the right side that faced up was taken up by a large exit wound where his eye should have been.

"What…what the P-Papa what's…?" Rachel said dazed as she stood and she him. "NO…NO PAPA!" Her scream cut off when she was thrown backwards by the bullet slammed into her body.

I looked up to see two German soldiers through the trees one leveled his rifle at me, I ducked and then bolted for my sister just as the shot flew over my head. She was clutching her right shoulder, blood seeping through her fingers from the bullet wound beneath, but she was alive, thank God she was alive. Knowing I didn't have much time I wrapped her in my arms and lifting her off the ground which elicited a pain filled whimper form her and I tried to ignore the pang of guilt at causing her more pain than she was already in and dashed into the forest.

"HALT!" One of the soldiers commanded behind me and another shot was fired but by that time I was out of their sight hidden amongst the thick trees.

I ran clambering and leaping over the uneven terrain of the forest floor at the same time trying my best to hold onto my sister. The two SS men behind me where still yelling orders at me to stop and were probably giving chase right at that moment but didn't look back, I didn't want to see how close they were but I was positive they couldn't see me. At least not clear enough to get a good shot; they would have killed me by now otherwise. Rachel was crying and whimpering in my arms from the heavy motion of my run and every step seemed to rattle the girl's bones. I wanted to slow down so as not to hurt her but my I had to get her out of here, as long as those soldiers were behind us I had to keep moving until I lost them.

It was a huge effort to keep my mind on that goal and not focus on the fact that my father had just been killed. I had been speaking with him only minutes before and now he was gone, how could that be, how could he be dead? He'd been a strong supportive force in my life since I was born. He had always been there for me and Rachel and now he just…wasn't and never would again. I couldn't even remember what my last words to him had been, what had I said to him? I shook my head, refocusing my thoughts getting my sister to safety. That was all that mattered right now. I knew that soon the fact what had happened to Papa would come crushing down on me like an anvil but I had to postpone that for as long as I could.

Looking back I still can't recall how long I was running for, I very much doubt I had any idea any the time. It could have been an hour, two hours maybe more, though I'm positive that I was still running long after I left the soldiers behind. Exhaustion was causing through me like an electrical current, Rachel had always been a small girl and not heavy at all but right now she felt like she was made of lead. My legs, back and arms where going numb after having burned with a deep throbbing ache of the effort of carrying her. She had stopped whimpering and crying from the pain caused by my movement and was barely hanging onto to me by now, my steps where becoming less and less sturdy and I regularly stumbled. Finally I wasn't able to keep running, I was just too tired and I slowed to a trot, then a stumbling lumber and at last I sank to my knees, gently lowering Rachel to my lap.

I sat and enjoyed the blissful fact that I wasn't moving anymore and that lack of motion was nothing short of delectable. I took in deep gulping breath, giving my body the air it desperately caved not caring that each inhale of winter cooled air seemed to freeze my lungs, it felt so good to just rest and breathe.

Then I look down at Rachel and my euphoria immediately evaporated, her eyes were closed and she was so pale, no not just pale, she was deathly white. Her breath was coming in shallow wheezing gasps and she was trembling for head to toe, none of which I'd noticed when I was running but now that I'd stopped couldn't believe that I hadn't realized just how bad her condition had gotten. I was no doctor in any sense of the word but I'd seen enough gunshot wounds and other injuries during my time living in the Warsaw Ghetto to recognize that my sister was suffering from severe blood loss and was rapidly going into shock.

"Oh no, oh no, no, no, no," I breathed about to fall into a full blown panic. "Alright, a-alright, stop the bleeding, got to stop the bleeding."

I pulled my coat off and shivered as the cold immediately penetrated the fabric of my shirt tore into my flesh. I balled up the coat and placed it on the ground to serve as a makeshift pillow; I then laid my sister on the ground and gently rested her head on the coat. Pulling back the shoulder of her coat I inspected the wound. Her shirt was plastered to her skin by the blood that covered her shoulder and I gently lifted up the shirt that peeled away wetly from the skin. She winced as the fabric pulled free form the aria directly over the bullet hole and I was oddly comforted by that, it meant she was still lucid and not completely lost to the shock.

"L-Lili t-that hurts…" She whimpered.

"I'm sorry honey," I apologized. "I've got to do it, I've got to see."

The wound didn't seem too large but the blood was forcing its way out of it quickly and the blood had been flowing for a long time now. I had to find some way to stop the blood flow, but with what? I had no gauze, no bandages and then I had an idea, I pulled my scarf from around my neck and folded it into a square as big as my palm and pressed against the wound.

"Ah…d-don't do t-that." She cried.

"I know it doesn't feel good Rachel but it's got to be done."

I pulled shirt over it to keep the scarf pressed to the wound and then covered her shoulder with her coat I then buttoned up her coat to try and ensure the impromptu bandage stayed put, I only hoped that would do for now until we got to Jezioro Lorenc or somewhere else where her wounds could be dressed more efficiently. Her breathing was still a choking wheeze and her color didn't look any better, in fact it looked worse. The cold was probably the cause of that along with her loss of blood; I had to get her in doors or at least out of the elements.

I looked up a scanned the forest and only then did I realize with horror that I was lost, completely and utterly lost. I'd been so desperate to escape back there I hadn't given any thought to where I was going and had taken off without any thought as too where I was going, I hadn't had any time to consider that. Anyway I didn't have Papa's knowledge of this forest, it was unknown to me and now I had no idea where we were. Every tree was unique and yet exactly the same, they towered over us in a way that was terrifyingly reminiscent of the walls that had surrounded the Ghetto. The winter silence that had only been eerie earlier now seemed dangerous and harm full and it had gotten even darker. Shadows hung heavily around us and the full night couldn't far off.

"Lili…" Rachel croaked almost inaudibly, I looked down to see her staring at me her eyes half open slits.

"What's wrong Rachel?"

"I-it's so dark i-i-is it night?" I thought of lying but there was no point.

"Y-yes it's almost dark." She nodded

Her lips quivered tearfully "They…they k-killed Papa," she whimpered

I closed my eyes tight, I felt the anvil begin to drop "Y-yeah they…they…" I couldn't finish the words as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. I opened my eyes and looked down at her, she smiled sadly at me then she winced as she reached into left pocket and pulled out something clutched in her palm.

"Here I…I want you to have this." I looked into her hand and saw the dove brooch I'd given her this morning.

"W-why do you want to give me that?" I asked scared, worried about where she was going with this. "It's yours."

Her smile was weak but full warmth "Well i-if its m-mine I can d-do what I want with it and I'm give it back to y-you," Her smile fell and she inhaled shakily. "Besides I-I don't think I'll n-need it where I'm going." My eye's widened in terror as hers filled with tears. "I'll give y-your love to Mamma and Papa…I'll miss you." The last words were a sob.

"Rachel, stop it," I said firmly and making a desperate attempt to keep the fear and hysteria out of my voice. "N-nothing going to happen to you," I took the dove out of her hand and put it back in her pocket. "You understand me? You're going to be alright."

She grabbed my hand as I tried to withdraw it from her pocket "P-please Lili just…just take it, please t-take it."

"I asked you a question," I almost yelled in almost complete panic now. "Do you understand me?"

She sighed "I'll a-answer you if you take the brooch."

I closed my eyes against the tears I could feel building behind them "Rachel d-don't do this, don't give up…not now. Just tell me you understand please."

"W-will you take the brooch if I do?" I opened my mouth to speak but she cut me off. "Please it would make me h-happy to know you have it."

Her face was so pleading "Alright, alright I'll take it," I finally conceded as I pulled the dove out of her pocket and placed in my own. "I'll take it. Just d-don't go Rachel, please don't go."

She smiled and nodded lethargically "I'll do my b-best and I understand."

I smiled at her gratefully and lifted her head gently of the coat and put it back on, I then pulled her into my arms again and got shakily to my feet and took one carful step. I was exhausted from the run, when I didn't fall I took a second step, a third and a forth and soon walking at a slow pace.

I tried to keep myself from acknowledging how utterly hopeless our situation was. No matter how strong my resolve to get to Jezioro Lorenc was or how badly I wanted to save my sister, it didn't change the fact that I was still lost and had no idea where I was going. I could be heading away from the village, or back to the clearing for I knew and I wouldn't have been any the wiser I was tired, cold, hungry, miserable and above all scared.

My legs and arms where starting to tremble form the cold and fatigue and my back felt like it was made of stone, I honed all my concentration on walking. I had to find somewhere to spend the night. I'd given up all hope of ever finding the village at least before tonight. I needed to get Rachel under some kind of cover, where I could do a better job at tending her wound and hope she'd survive the night. Fresh snow was starting to fall making the icy covering on the ground thinker and harder to move through One foot after the other, that became my mantra, one after the other, it was the only thing keeping my dead tired legs form crumpling beneath me.

I kept on that way for a good half hour until I was saying the mantra out loud, the thoughts had ceased to be enough "One f-foot a-a-after the other," I rasped. "One foot after the o-other." The sun had long since set beneath the horizon and the post dusk light that had lit the forest until now was now almost entirely gone.

I past a large tree and my foot snagged on something obscured by the snow, a root I think or a fallen branch, I wasn't sure but whatever it was it ended the pace I'd had until now. My legs yielded and I feel to one knee again almost dropping Rachel in the process.

"Oh God damn i-it…" I sob. "Come on Lili you've g-got to get u-up." I told myself trying to force myself to stand and my entire body shook violently with the effort and my knee gave way before they got more than an inch of the ground. "R-Rachel…I-I'm sorry, I-I'm sorry I can't…I can't d-do it." I gazed remorsefully down into her face and saw that her eyes were closed. She looked like she was sleeping until I realized she wasn't breathing.

"R-Rachel?" Squeaked feebly, she didn't respond. "Rachel!" I repeated more forcibly with a shade of fear tingeing my voice. "Rachel," I gave her a slight shake and her head lolled limply to one side. "R-Rachel wake up," I shook her again. "Rachel come on, RACHEL WAKE UP!" I urged her frantically while I shook her roughly but she didn't wake. "RACHLE PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEASE WAKE UP!" I screamed into her face shaking her harder and harder causing her body move violently in my arms and her head moved limply like her neck was full of ball bearings and I stopped shaking her. "Please Rachel, please y-you have to wake."

It was no use, she wasn't asleep, she wasn't unconscious she…she was dead, too late I had failed I pulled her into me, crushing her to my chest as tears of frustration and grief stung my eyes and I gave vent to anguished scream like the howl of a wounded dog. I screamed and screamed only stopping when I was forced to breathe and then screamed again. I rocked her back and forth in my arms, I shirked again and again until my throat was raw and burning with pain and my cries finally died off into an endless stream of sobs.

I pulled back looking at my sister, her face was so serene and peaceful and as before if I hadn't known the horrible truth I could have sworn she was sleeping. As I stared at her a one of the many tears flowing form my eyes feel onto Rachel's cheek running down it and it looked like she was crying too, a tear of joy for at least she was with our parents now.

I pulled her back into my arms and continued to gently rock her. My eyes refused to stop weeping as a tremendous wave of loss, anger, grief and defeat surged through me and washed away everything in its wake. I don't know how long I sat there holding her like that, I didn't want to know, I didn't want anything, I didn't want to move, I didn't want to get to Jezioro Lorenc, I didn't want to find shelter, I didn't want to live, I didn't want to die, I was just…empty.

I was only vaguely aware of the cold that was eating into me from all sides and the ice burn that had begun searing my legs frrm my ankles to my knees.

I barely even noticed when I began to get tired and soon I was slipping in and out of consciousness. The world around me become more and more hazy and eventually the darkness took everything away and I drifted in nothingness.

The first sense that came back to me was sound I could hear a loud thunderous pounding accompanied by the crack and rustle of branches something was moving and fast. The next sense to return was the sensation or lack of it, I was numb all over especially in my legs I couldn't feel them at all. Finally, painfully and slowly my sight was the last to come back as my eyes fluttered opened and saw Rachel's body that was still in my arms. I rose out of my hunched position with lethargically my cold stiffened mussels slow to respond and took in my surroundings. I could see the forest, the trees and snow all lit by the ghostly illumination of a full moon.

I saw the source of the sound, there were dark shapes moving across the ground with blurring speed, I could barely make them out in the dim light but I realized it was a herd of deer. They were all around me. Running, galloping through the forest in front of me, behind me, one of them even jumped over me. Why were they running? It was the middle of the night, what could have gotten them moving like this.

Suddenly there came a blood curdling snarl that was unlike anything I had ever heard then one of the animals was tackled to the ground by some dark shape that moved almost too fast from me to see several feet in front of me. The deer struggled, bucked and strained against whatever it had pinned down. Then what was straddling the deer positioned itself directly above the animal's neck and then the deer began to fight more frantically for a few seconds then its efforts began to slow and it's panting began to grow weaker and finally it stopped moving all together. Whatever had attacked the deer rose to its feet and I could see it was a person or something that at least looked like one a woman judging by the body shape and long hair. The figure stood oblivious to my presence for a second or two then it spun around in a crouched position with a low rumbling growl.

The figure stayed in that position for a whole minute, shoulders rising and falling with deep measured breaths and for the first time since my sister had died I felt something, fear, I was afraid of this thing that had just killed a deer in front of me. Then very slowly the silhouette rose to stand straight and turned away from me I hear it breathing again but it was different this time. It sounded more…more human, inhaling heavily through the nose and out through the mouth. This continued for another minute then the mysterious shape turned back to me and took a few steps toward forward and crouched in front of me allowing me to get a look at her face.

I was only able to make out the faintest detail but she looked very pretty with what I assumed was pale blond hair, large almond shaped eyes and a heart shaped face. She had a slender but well-proportioned frame and was about five foot seven as far as I could tell. She looked at me with what looked like intense concern then her eyes drifted down to Rachel, still cradled in my arms, and her face drenched with sympathy.

"Oh dear God," She murmured but she was speaking in what sounded like English and it was only a good time later in hindsight that I understood the words she had spoken. "Rodrigo," She called into the forest. "Rodrigo come quickly!"

I noticed something on her lips that looked black in the moon light, it couldn't be water but it looked too thick. Could it be…the deer…had she really been…was it blood? An old memory that had been left forgotten until now came to me. When I had been a child my grandfather used to tell me stories from Polish folk law, legends about undead beings that stalk in the night and feast on the blood of the living, beings that avoided sunlight and running water and certain herbs and could only be destroyed by a stake through the heart or decapitation, legends of the vjesci or vampire.

Could it be that one was in front of me right now? Could that really be possible? How could this beautiful creature be one of the monsters out of Grandfathers stories? Every rational fiber of my being was screaming at me to dismiss the idea as utter nonsense that vampires didn't exist. But for the unnatural speed, inhuman growling, the ease with which she over powered the deer and the blood on her lips.

I knew it was true, I knew it in my bones that there was a vampire before me. I also knew I should be afraid and yet I wasn't. I don't know if it was the fact that the death of my sister really had left me a hollow shell and I just didn't care that I was looking at a vampire or if it was the sincerity of the concern for me and sympathy for Rachel that blazed in her shadowed eyes that put me at rest. Why I didn't fear her wasn't important the fact was I was not scared of this girl who I knew was a vampire.

"Rodrigo where are you!" She called again and in the distance I heard an indistinct reply that was barely a mummer to my ears. "Well hurry up will you?" She snapped back and turned her attention back to me. "What's your name sweetheart?" She asked in Polish this time.

"I-I'm L-Liliana," I said my voice hoarse and just saying that much was painful, the vampire girl smiled sweetly. It was difficult to tell in the night but it looked like she had an utterly dazzling smile that could light up a room.

"Liliana, what a lovely name," She replied. "I'm Annabelle," She looked down at Rachel again and her face became sad. "Is that your sister." At the mention of Rachel I looked at her body too and all the pain and hurt and loss came flooding back, I couldn't find the words to reply even and not only because my throat felt like it was embedded with iron filings and only managed a nod. "I'm so sorry." She sighed and then reached forward as if to take Rachel form me.

"W-w-what are doing?" I croaked, pulling the small corpse into me.

"Liliana, I have to get you indoors and it'll be easier to carry you if you're not holding her."

I shook my head furiously and bit my lip "No, n-no I-I'm leaving her here!"

"Liliana…" But she stopped, seeing the resolve in my eyes and sighed. "Alright I'll carry both of you." She said, pulling me into the bridle position with Rachel still in my lap and a sharp pain ran through my legs just below my knees and I screamed, thinking my legs had somehow fallen off. I looked down but they were there beneath skirt.

"Ciò che fa lei pensa che lei fa Anna?" A voice said in another language I didn't understand but it sounded like it was Italian.

I looked over Annabelle's shoulder to see another figure had appeared form nowhere, another vampire, but this was a man. His features where impossible to discern, he was nothing more than a blackened silhouette in the night but I could make out some things about him. He looked to be six feet tall, had a lean but powerful looking body beneath his clothes which, what little I could see, was a fur collard coat and hair that I think was tied back in a long pony tail.

"Ho trovato appena sente," Annabelle replied. "Dobbiamo prenderla dentro."

"Ciò che fa lei significa 'dobbiamo prenderla dentro," He didn't sound happy. "Questo non ci riguarda."

Annabelle stopped and leered at him angrily "Well it may not you concern _Rodney_," She replied in English again. "But I'm not going to leave the poor thing out here to die."

"Le he preguntado no llamarme RODNEY." He snapped in Italian once more.

"I'm not leaving her out here." She replied as if it was a simple fack which form her point of view it probably was.

"And what about the body?" He asked also using in English now.

"It's her little sister she won't leave without her, now if you've finished being difficult we should get a move on." She turned away from her companion without waiting for a response and suddenly I was flying.

The wind and the trees whipped past me so fast they became a shadowy blur. My hair swirled around my head wildly and with what little strength I had I pulled my sister's body deeper into my arms. Then I felt it again, the exhaustion both physical and emotional wrapping around me and flowing into me. My eyelids began to droop and I slipped once again into the oblivion of unconsciousness.

**There you go I hope you enjoyed it; I'll get the next chapter when I can, until then, adios amigos. **


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